MidFEx, short for Midwest Fruit Explorers, is a non-profit organization of amateur backyard fruit growing enthusiasts. Most of our members live in the counties surrounding Chicago.

Gene’s 40” apple tree (click to take a tour)

We are crazy about the best tasting, most flavorful fruits that grow well here. We are also interested in growing special, superior and unusual fruits regardless of their appearance or commercial appeal. This includes little known varieties of apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes and nuts; and more unusual fruits such as the pawpaw, mulberry, persimmon, fig, juneberry, Asian pear, and hardy kiwi. Our members locate, graft, propagate, test, grow and swap these superior fruiting plants, and then get together and share their knowledge.

MidFEx has a video depository located at midfex at vimeo.com. Here you will find videos covering topics such as t-bud/chip bud grafting techniques.

Members receive the Grapevine, our periodic newsletter.The September 2017 Grapevine was distributed to email recipients on 9/18/17 and mailed to USPS recipients on 9/22/17. The Grapevine is also available on the Members Only page.

Upcoming Events

Annual Business MeetingEvent Description: What better way to chase away the winter chill than with a steaming bowl of homemade soup?

Our annual business meeting will begin with our annual Soup Bowl Luncheon. Potluck hot lunch will be followed by election of officers, other club business, and much gabbing about fruit growing as usual.

Date: Sunday January 7, 2018Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pmLocation: See Grapevine or Members Only pageDirections: See Grapevine or Members Only page

Event Details: This is a member only event. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only page for additional details.

Kurle Memorial LectureEvent Description: Dan Bussey of Seed Savers History of Apples in the United States and Canada

Daniel Bussey is an orchardist, horticulturist, historian, professional cider maker and former businessman, who grew up and spent most of his life in rural southern Wisconsin. Dan has taught workshops on grafting fruit trees, cider-making and other apple-related topics for more than 30 years and has grown heirloom apple varieties all of his life. He has been featured on Public Radio International’s “The Takeaway” and National Public Radio’s “Science Friday”, and has been the subject of numerous newspaper articles. This past August saw the long-awaited release of Dan’s seven volume work, “The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada” which lists over 16,000 apples that were grown in North America between 1629 and 2000. The book was a long-time project over 30 years in the making.

Dan is not only fascinated with heirloom apples and cider-making, but is a producer and grower of hard cider apples and has helped to introduce a new cider apple variety to the trade; Kronebusch Cider, with more varieties expected in the coming years. Dan has attended the Cider and Perry Academy’s advanced cider course at Cornell University and is an avid promoter of the cider beverage industry. Dan believes the essential element of craft cider making is the selection of the best variety of apples possible; those with superior flavors, aromatics and phenolic structure. Understand the apple and its myriad of flavors and everything else will follow.

Dan Bussey’s lifelong interest in raising fruit, seeking out rare, missing heirloom varieties and researching the history of apple growing in the United States and Canada is matched only by his other fascination, that of collecting and preserving horse-drawn sleighs, wagons and hearses, having assembled one of the largest collections of horse-drawn sleighs in the country along with numerous commercial wagons of all trades. Dan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Carriage Museum of America, based in Lexington, Kentucky and is working on several upcoming publications on carriage history.

Dan now resides near Decorah, Iowa, where he is the Orchard Manager and Apple Historian for the Seed Savers Exchange, maintaining and enlarging the Historic Orchard at Heritage Farm to contain nearly 1300 apple accessions and make them available to orchardists. Dan believes that having a passion in life, whatever it might be, is the key to a satisfying life.

The Kurle Memorial Lecture is offered annually in honor of Bob and Mary Kurle, conveners of the Midwest Fruit Explorers. Bob was known as one of the top fruit and nut enthusiasts in the U.S. He networked actively with fruit and nut growers all over the world. In the 1970s, Bob’s displays at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show focused the interest of ordinary gardeners on dwarf and semi-dwarf fruit trees, hybrid nuts, and promoted growing the best fruit varieties suited to the Chicagoland area. He appeared in Organic Gardening and the Chicago Tribune.

Event Details: This event is open to members and non-members.

Grafting Workshop: Session #1Event Description: MidFEx members only. Find out what grafting fruit tress is all about. Learn the the whys and hows with experienced grafters. We will also have an impressive amount of scion wood available for grafting. If you’d like more information about grafting see the Grafting Page.

Date: Sunday March 18,2018Setup Time: 9:00 am to 12 noon. For MidFEx members only to help setup, prepare rootstocks and to sort scion wood. No experience necessary to help out and much good fruit growing conversation to be had.Afternoon Session: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Due to space limitations this session is limited to members only and especially intended for less experienced MidFEx members and their guests. Please arrive on time. Lecture begins at 1:00 sharp. Workshop will last until about 4:00 pm.Location: See Grapevine or Members Only PageDirections: See Grapevine or Members Only PageEvent Details: This event is open to members and guests of members only. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only Page for additional details.

Grafting Workshop: Session #2Event Description: Find out what grafting fruit tress is all about. Learn the the whys and hows with experienced grafters. We will also have an impressive amount of scion wood available for grafting. The purpose of the grafting workshop is to learn how to graft. Nonmember beginners will learn how to graft selected apple varieties on apple rootstock. If you’d like more information about grafting see the Grafting Page.

Date: Sunday March 25, 2018Setup Time: 9:00 am to 12 noon. For MidFEx members only to help setup or if you’ve had any problems with your past grafts or grafting techniques, then let us help. We will have some of our most skilled members on hand from 11:00-12:00 to answer questions and assist you.Afternoon Session: THIS SESSION IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC and the less experienced or novice grafter. Please arrive on time. Lecture begins at 1:00 sharp. Workshop will last until about 4:00 pm.Location: 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, Illinois. Go to the Linnaeus Room in the Regenstein Center building.Parking: Parking is free for Chicago Botanic Garden members and members of gardens with reciprocal privileges. If you are not a member of the Botanic Gardens you will have to pay the parking fee. Visit Chicago Botanic Garden’s web pages for details on parking and membership. Chicago Botanic GardenEvent Details: THE AFTERNOON EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, but only the individuals actually grafting fruit trees will be allowed in the grafting classroom. Friends, spouses, and children are welcome to explore the grounds during the sessions.Costs: Our workshop and guidance are free. However you will need to buy rootstock if you want to take home a tree. We will have dwarfing apple rootstock available. Cost is $5 each with fleree scion wood for MidFEx members. Non-members pricing is $5 which includes two pieces of scion wood of their choice. Unless rootstocks were preordered, each attendee will be limited to three (3) rootstocks each. Grafting requires a very sharp knife with a 2-3 inch blade. Bring your own medium-size pocket knife--we can sharpen it for you if needed, or purchase one at the workshop. Other supplies are available for purchase if you would like to continue honing your grafting skills after the workshop is over.

Apple Cider SocialEvent Description: Cider pressing the old fashioned way with MidFEx’s own cider presses.

Date: Sunday November 5, 2017Time: 10am - until we run out of apples

Location: See Grapevine or Members Only pageDirections: See Grapevine or Members Only page

Event Details: This event is for members and guests of members. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only page for additional details.

2017 Harvest FestivalEvent Description: The Fall Harvest Festival at the Chicago Botanic Gardens is our largest public event, fund raiser, and membership drive all rolled into one. It’s a fun exciting experience and a great opportunity to socialize and network with MidFExers while learning the virtues of growing your own fruit. Members bring in fruit for display, and on Sunday starting at 2pm, people are invited to sample the display fruit. [Harvest Fest]

MidFEx will be selling wonderfully tasting less commonly known apples, fruit butters, books on fruit growing. We will also be making fresh pressed cider and answering any questions you have about growing fruit.

Summer Pruning WorkshopEvent Description: Two of MidFEx’s most experienced fruit growers will lead discussion and demonstration of pruning techniques that keep dwarf apple trees both compact and productive.

Date: Sunday, August 27, 2017 (Rain date Sept 3rd)Time: 1pmLocation: See Grapevine or Members Only pageDirections: See Grapevine or Members Only page

Event Details: This event is for members and guests of members. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only page for additional details.

Orchard TourEvent Description: Jeff has a small 1/3 acre yard that exhibits his interest in fruit growing as well as a lifelong interest in gardening with ornamental plants and shrubs. His yard is equally divided between shade and sun gardening with grass paths that lead one through it. There are 30 espaliered apple trees (all self grafted, some 25+ years old), espaliered pears, grape arbor, blueberries, mulberries, raspberries, blackberries, and gooseberries

Date: Sunday, August 6, 2017 Time: 1pm - ?Location: See Grapevine or Members Only pageDirections: See Grapevine or Members Only page

Event Details: This event is for members and guests of members. See your Grapevine newsletter or the Members Only page for additional details.

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